中國 道敎女仙의 諸 樣相 考察

Abstract

The paper aims to illustrate diverse aspects of the Chinese Taoist goddesses with respect to their types, functions and characteristics. The deities are classified by eleven different areas, such as earth, medicine, child protection, fire, good harvest, war, divination, sea vessels, magical arts, disease cure, and expulsion of devils, with a view to offering a comprehensive understanding of the Chinese ancient popular belief and the female folk culture. The Chinese deities, in general, have a common pattern of metamorphosis, such as the deity of nature to personified goddess; a common person to immortal being; a male to a female; a monster to a beautiful being; an evil deity to a good natured goddess; and a female shaman to a goddess. Some of these deities could hardly be considered as genuine Taoist elements, in that they have been adopted and transformed from the ancient Chinese myths and legends. The deities usually have different by names with different origins and functions in accordance with times, regions and races. There are, however, not many fundamental differences among them. Their functions, among others, are to keep under control the weather, to foretell a person’s fortune, to rule devils and to manage to invite good luck and expel demons. Their general characteristics may be condensed into the roles that are always beneficial for the human being such as longevity, good fortune, childbirth, child protection, abundant harvest, war, sea, wind and ships. From the time immemorial temples are erected by the wide scope of people in China, from the emperors to the plain people, in order to render their continuous adoration to their deities. On certain occasions people present a fictitious spouse for a goddess, so that she could form an imaginary family. These and other practices are to be part of traditional customs throughout the four seasons of the year and served as important materials for fables and other literary works and paintings.